How to Start Homeschooling in Iowa

Required days

148 days/year

Required subjects

5 subjects

Notice

Required

Testing / evaluation

Parent's choice (testing, portfolio, or evaluation)

Recordkeeping

Recommended

Jump to the full Iowa requirements for plain-English detail on each of these.

Step by step

1. 1

   Understand Iowa's homeschool law

   Iowa has moderate homeschool requirements. Families must homeschool at least 148 days per year, and you'll file notice with your local school district.

2. 2

   Withdraw from public school (if enrolled)

   The Iowa withdrawal process is a two-step handoff: a letter to the current public school closing out the enrollment, followed by a notice of intent filed with the local school district. Homeschool Fox generates a compliant withdrawal letter from your family's details in a few clicks.

3. 3

   File your notice of intent

   Yes, Iowa requires you to file notice of your intent to homeschool. You must notify your local school district.

4. 4

   Plan your subjects

   Iowa requires instruction in the following subjects: reading, language arts, math, science, and social studies. Beyond these requirements, you have flexibility to add subjects that interest your family.

5. 5

   Set your hours or days target

   Iowa doesn't specify a minimum number of hours, but requires at least 148 days of instruction per year.

6. 6

   Plan for assessment and records

   Under Independent Private Instruction (IPI), Iowa requires no assessment at all. Under Competent Private Instruction (CPI), families who want dual enrollment, extracurriculars, or special-education services must submit an annual assessment — either a standardized test or a portfolio review by a licensed evaluator.

7. 7

   Track your hours and keep records

   Log activities as they happen so hours, attendance, and subject coverage build up automatically. Homeschool Fox lets you log from your phone or by voice and generates a Iowa-specific compliance report when you need it.

Free tool

Calculate your homeschool pace

Iowa tracks days, not hours. We suggest aiming for 900 hours/year as a personal target. Enter your end date to see the pace.

What Homeschool Fox tracks for Iowa

Everything Iowa expects you to keep, in one place — no spreadsheets, no lost notebooks.

• Days toward your 148-day goal
• Required subjects & core hours
• Daily activity logs
• Attendance records
• Notes & portfolio records
• Printable PDF reports
• High school transcripts
• State-specific progress tracking

More Iowa guides

• Iowa Homeschool Requirements Hours, notice, assessment, and subjects at a glance.
• Homeschooling High School in Iowa Credits, GPA, transcripts, and graduation.
• Record Keeping in Iowa What to document, how to organize it, and staying compliant.
• ESA & School Choice in Iowa Funding amounts, who qualifies, and the trade-offs.